Take thirty (or so) people, mix with fifteen (or so) bottles of home-made wines (various, the more the merrier and add the heat of a warm scout hut and some home baked mince pies, sausage rolls and, oo-er, a quiz.
This was the cheese (did I mention cheese?) and wine tasting evening on Saturday, 30th November. The nerves of the organisers fading away after people began arriving – and after a few samples of rhubarb “champagne”, red currant and plum or damson wine.

This was plotholders, their families and other members getting together to celebrate a good year, to taste the alcoholic side-produce made from surpluses, mistakes and dedication.A light-hearted quiz gave a focus to the offers of coffee, tea or mulled wine.

Conversation was about plans for Christmas (inevitably), what went well on the plots and what is being planned for next year (inevitably too). For maybe winter is about taking stock if you have an allotment; about what seed you have ordered (thanks shop committee) and what you plan to do a little differently – and why. Thanks must go to 1st Cheslyn Hay Scout Group for making the venue available, particularly to the events committee for organising it, to those who brought bottles to be tasted and, indeed to everyone who turned up. At the end of the evening ice had to be scraped from car windows – it is that time of year and … …there were even some murmurs about doing a quiz again next year; although my educated guess is that these were from members of the two teams that tied for first place.